This is a THEOLOGY question?
Ahhhhh, what would a Christian website be without a few million threads on this topic?
My view:
1. Masturbation is not mentioned or even vaguely alluded to in the Bible. Silence does not suggest theology either way. Since studies say that something around 95% of single teen guys touch and about 75% of married men (the figures are a bit lower for females) and since this seems universal and likely historic, some take it that it was a very common practice in biblical times too, and so make much of the silence. I'd be careful there.
2. Some (Dr. James Dobson among them) argue that the practice per se is benign - neither good or bad, moral or not. I agree with that.
3. Some point out that the practice certainly CAN be harmful and abused - as is true of everything (drinking water can kill you, food is one of the major causes of death!).
4. Some point out that for guys, it's often associated with inappropriate content, especially now with its easy access with the internet. I suspect this is very true - however, perhaps the thing to be denounced is the inappropriate content. For some people, smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee are strongly linked, does that mean that because cigarettes are bad therefore on one should ever drink coffee? Some also say it's associated with homosexuality. I doubt it; if so, 95% of guys and maybe 75% of girls would be gay.
5. AMONG CHRISTIANS, the condemnation proclaimed by some youth pastors normally just causes a lot of unresolved guilt and separation from God, and rarely results in the practice being discontinued (pledges to God seldom last more than a few days - then comes the guilt). I think because female masturbation gets far less attention in the church, such is less of an issue for girls.
6. It should be noted that SOME single guys (especially younger teens) touch at least in part as a way of avoiding messy, embarrassing, uncontrolled noctural emissions. Some also as a way of reducing sexual tension and emotions and thus making their behavior easier.
7. I've seen studies that suggest that most married men and many married women touch, too - sometimes as often as their single teen children. IF the spouse is aware and approving of this, I have no problem. But I understand such is almost always a "secret." I believe this is morally questionable since I believe that married couples are called to share their sexuality; I even tend to embrace the idea that their bodies belong to eachother and not themselves.
MY view...
- Josiah